Wednesday, June 1, 2016

Reckoning by M.T. Harrte @givemebooksblog @MTHarrte

In order to repair her crumbling kingdom in the Dark Court, Queen Alexis is forced to confront her painful past. She quickly learns she must go back before she can go forward.

However, news of her nemesis and former queen, Samira, rocks her mental foundation to the core and the throne is the last thing on her mind.

Alexis follows the bloody path left in Samira’s wake. She soon realizes she’ll have to gain allies in hostile territory if she’s to secure her crown and get her daughter, kidnapped by the previous queen, back alive.

With her mission clear, Alexis will stop at nothing, even if it means war. There will be death, there will be destruction … there will be a RECKONING.

Excerpt

The no-nonsense queen has returned and she’s taking down anybody standing in her way. “Detective, to what do I owe this intrusion?” I asked calmly. Detective David Hothran jacked up his pants and puffed out his chest as he took his time responding. “Well, well, greetings, Your Majesty,” he said giving an exaggerated bow. His mousy brown hair was slick with oil and didn’t budge as he leaned down. I growled low in my throat. “Detective, I’m tired and far past pissed off. I suggest you state your business or get out.” “My business is you and your little harem. I told you to let us know when stuff goes down, and because you didn’t, you now have yourself in a mess of trouble. My department has been flooded with reports of you and your guys breaking into several homes and ransacking the joints. The reports also include some individuals that are missing and some that are confirmed dead.” I sat in silence as I waited for him to finish his little speech. Once I was sure he was done, I continued to sit in silence. Hothran narrowed his eyes and balled his fists like a stubborn five-year-old child. “If that’s how you want to play it, then fine. I’m sure I can find a pretty pair of pink cuffs to slap on you, and don’t worry, we have special boxes to put your light sensitive cohorts in,” he snarled. I cocked my head to the side and looked the detective up and down for a moment. “I’m not worried, but you should be,” I whispered. As if I had given some imaginary signal, every guard in the room immediately had their weapons trained directly on Hothran. I prayed they were all aiming to kill, because I was in no mood for any more fuckery. “Clearly, you haven’t learned anything about coming in here and making threats and demands. No one is going anywhere with you. Those that are missing and dead were already that way long before we came along. You are already aware that Samira is behind all of this, and our hands are clean of those crimes.” Hothran pulled his lips into a scowl. “How convenient it must be for you to be able to put all of this at the former queen’s feet. What about the breaking and entering then? What excuse do you have for that? You were on American soil then, where our rules apply, and not one of your little colonies!” I rolled my eyes and propped my head up on my fist. “This is what you got me out of bed for? Some of those houses belonged to the defectors, and we had reports that the homes were being used as safe havens. None of which concerns you in the least little bit. Honestly, Detective, if you just want to drop in and say hi, that’s fine, no need to come under the pretense of an arrest,” I said coolly. Hothran’s eyes bucked as he turned a pretty shade of red. “I’m here to make an arrest, and I’m going to add to the list of charges if your guards don’t lower their weapons.” His voice grew low and shaky as if he were trying to suppress his rage. “Some of those houses were human owned. Anything dealing with humans is outside of your jurisdiction, point, blank, period. You can come quietly, or I can come back with SWAT and the damn National Guard if I need to.” I shrugged my shoulders as I stood to leave. “The houses held terrorists that are determined to oppress and murder humans and supernaturals. Do you really think humans would be angry that I’m working diligently to stop them? And not to mention, I’m a grieving mother trying to recover her infant daughter. It’s your call, Detective, but for the time being, no one is going anywhere, including you.” The guards closed in on Hothran and restrained him as he struggled to get away. “Lock him up. Give him food, water, and somewhere decent to sleep. I want two guards with him at all times.” My gaze locked in on Hothran as he continued to thrash around. “I would offer my apologies, Detective, but I’m not the least bit sorry. The last thing I need is you getting in the way of my investigation, which unfortunately for you, trumps your trespassing bullshit.” “You can’t do this!” he screamed, his voice growing faint as he was led farther down the hall. “I just did,” I whispered.

Megan Spann, known under the pen name, M. T. Harrte, is an eclectic blend of sex, sarcasm, and a dash of darkness. Her love of books blossomed at an early age and it has developed into a passion for writing as well. She also writes lighter fiction under the pen name M. L. Spann. She’s definitely one of those people that carries around books in their bag. She adds a touch of sass to her novels by using her southern roots to set the tone.

She spent a great deal of her life moving from state to state with her military family, until finally settling down in Mississippi. Despite graduating from Ole Miss with a business degree and going on to gain a Master’s degree, she has decided to truly follow her heart by pursing a writing career.